Required poster

Employers are required to post the Your Rights as a Worker (F700-074-909) poster, which provides information about the minimum wage and other topics. This poster is available at no cost from L&I. (A separate minimum wage poster is no longer required.)

Coming soon! A revised Your Rights as a Worker poster will be mailed to all Washington State employers in November 2017. The updated poster will include information about the new paid sick leave requirements, approved by Washington voters in November 2016 through Initiative 1433.

More information regarding Washington's wage and hour laws is available at Lni.wa.gov/Wages. Employers and workers also may call 360-902-5316 or 1-866-219-7321.

Common questions about minimum wage

The wage applies to workers in both agricultural and non-agricultural jobs. Although there are some exemptions, most workers must be paid the minimum wage for all "hours worked" as required by state law. "Hours worked" includes opening and closing the business, and required meetings and training. Any time spent by an employee in the performance of these duties must be recorded and paid.

Initiative 1433 (I-1433), which voters approved in 2016, sets the minimum wage. I-1433 sets the minimum wage at $11.00 in 2017, $11.50 in 2018, $12.00 in 2019, and $13.50 in 2020. For 2021 and beyond, L&I will return to using the federal Consumer Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) (data.bls.gov) to set the minimum wage. The CPI-W represents the average change in price on a fixed group of goods and services, such as food, shelter, medical care and other goods.

The federal Department
of Labor minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. In states that set rates
that differ from federal law, the higher rate applies.

Most Washington employers are subject to both federal and state minimum
wage and overtime laws. The effect of this dual coverage is that the
employer must follow the higher standard, meaning the one most beneficial
to the employee, when there are differing requirements in the laws.